Tracy Griffiths said: ‘Why are Erith Leisure Centre and London Borough of Bexley and Parkwood Community Leisure allowing this to take place in their facility?

‘Is it really appropriate for a “political party” – who have previously threatened a “day of reckoning against politicians and journalists,” with Paul Golding uttering the words “I can promise you, from the very depths of my being, you will all meet your miserable ends at the hands of the Britain First movement. Every last one of you.” – to be doing martial arts and knife training?’

Members of the ‘Britain First Defenders’ were given a lesson in self-defence (Picture: National)

Leader Paul Gadding said the classes were not open to members of the public (Picture: National)

Michelle Collett added: ‘If these people were brown with beards I’m sure you’d have had a different stance….double standards?

Advertisement

Advertisement

‘Britain First are a threat to this country and hosting their terrorist training will not do your company any favours.

In November, Fransen was convicted and fined by a court in Luton for abusing a Muslim woman and also fined for wearing a political uniform.

They were also arrested for inciting religious hatred during a rape trial in May after handing out leaflets about the trial outside court.

Bexley Council issued a statement on behalf of Parkwood Community Leisure which said: ‘On July 6, Erith Leisure Centre received a booking from a company describing itself as a security firm, to hire a function room on 8th July.

Members of the Britain First Defenders take part in a group exercise (Picture: National)

All the moves they learned were said to be defensive to protect the group’s leaders (Picture: National)

‘Representatives of this company signed the required booking form to comply with the leisure centre’s terms and conditions of hire that include an anti-racist charter. On the day of the booking, a number of people used the function room but concealed their branded tops when in view of any leisure centre staff or members of the public.

Advertisement

‘The Centre Management Team have since learnt that the booking was made by a group representing an extremist political party that would not have been permitted to access the site had the true nature of the group been declared.

‘Parkwood Community Leisure works to the highest standards of integrity and ethical propriety.

‘We are committed to ensuring that customers who take part in sporting activities at our leisure centres do so without fear of racial harassment or anti social behaviour. Any conflict or inconsistency with its anti-racist policy results in the withdrawal of use of our facilities.’